Melbourne Olympic Park bingle
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Joined: Feb 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 201
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From: Back of Bourke
Ms Bobridge claims the helicopter got caught on a landing mat as she attempted to takeoff, flipping it over.
“I always maintained that right skid never left the ground,” she said. “It literally felt like someone was standing on my skid.”
The court heard Ms Bobridge worked to correct the crash before she “reached the point of no return” and took her hands of the controls.
“I looked out of the window and I could see the ground coming to my face. At that point I let go and covered my head,” she said.
“I always maintained that right skid never left the ground,” she said. “It literally felt like someone was standing on my skid.”
The court heard Ms Bobridge worked to correct the crash before she “reached the point of no return” and took her hands of the controls.
“I looked out of the window and I could see the ground coming to my face. At that point I let go and covered my head,” she said.
Having done heaps of landings on those mats, there's nothing to "catch a helicopter".
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,413
Likes: 0
From: England & Scotland
Ok I am missing something.
If the accident was caused by an unsecured ballast bag then the pilot is at fault.
If the accident was caused by the skid being caught, on trying to lift the pilot felt that the skid was caught but carried on / had been so aggressive with the lift they could not stop - why is that not the pilot's fault?
Never landed on these pads, but had a skid "stick" in muddy conditions many times. Unless you are attempting to jerk the aircraft into the air, which is pretty foolhardy, why would you not lower the collective when you felt the skid was stuck?
If the accident was caused by an unsecured ballast bag then the pilot is at fault.
If the accident was caused by the skid being caught, on trying to lift the pilot felt that the skid was caught but carried on / had been so aggressive with the lift they could not stop - why is that not the pilot's fault?
Never landed on these pads, but had a skid "stick" in muddy conditions many times. Unless you are attempting to jerk the aircraft into the air, which is pretty foolhardy, why would you not lower the collective when you felt the skid was stuck?
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 959
Likes: 3
From: New Zealand
I'm very disappointed with this thread. I thought it was going to be a photo of Lara Bingle climbing into a helicopter along with a caption along the lines of "where the bloody hell are ya knickers"...
Apologies. I'll get me coat....
Apologies. I'll get me coat....
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 348
Likes: 0
From: Downwind
No worries, it'll get to the gutter soon enough anyway.....
I don't agree that pilots who have sued their employer never work again, there's some who have done so for much better reasons than this though......
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 71
From: Wanaka, NZ
I can't see how an employer can take legal action against a pilot for crashing their helicopter, assuming all things like licenses and medicals etc being in order. Even pilots who run out of fuel, I don't recall anybody being sued by an employer for this.
As for the pilot taking legal action against the employer, the arguments there would be more interesting. Particularly in this instance where the employer claims the pilot was an independent contractor, employer trying to distance themselves for this reason may be difficult. The pilot might get some traction here if the training record fails to show she was adequately trained for the task required. Although there is an assumption that a licensed pilot has the knowledge to lower the collective if the helicopter starts to roll over on lift-off. No doubt with a barrister on her side against an employer representing himself puts the odds squarely in her favour than would otherwise be the case.
As for the pilot taking legal action against the employer, the arguments there would be more interesting. Particularly in this instance where the employer claims the pilot was an independent contractor, employer trying to distance themselves for this reason may be difficult. The pilot might get some traction here if the training record fails to show she was adequately trained for the task required. Although there is an assumption that a licensed pilot has the knowledge to lower the collective if the helicopter starts to roll over on lift-off. No doubt with a barrister on her side against an employer representing himself puts the odds squarely in her favour than would otherwise be the case.
